We help contractors and building owners take on complex crane and rigging work, bringing the equipment, experience, and planning to get difficult jobs done safely and efficiently.
Thompson Miller Specialty Rigging is a GTA-based crane and rigging team built for the jobs that do not come with easy instructions.
Founded by Bruce Dickson in 1999, Thompson Miller has grown from a trusted local rigging company into a specialty crane and rigging partner with over 1,000 completed projects across Toronto, the GTA, and surrounding areas. In 2022, Brad Dickson took over the company and continued building on that foundation, expanding the crane catalogue, growing the client portfolio, and sharpening the company’s focus on complex lifts, machinery moving, rooftop equipment placements, and restricted-access work.
We work with general contractors, mechanical contractors, electrical contractors, property managers, and building owners on high-rise, commercial, industrial, and residential projects where access, timing, equipment, and site conditions all matter. A lot of our work happens in tight, busy, occupied, or high-traffic spaces. High-rise buildings, commercial and industrial properties, residential towers, mechanical rooms, rooftops, loading areas, and active construction sites all come with real constraints. That is where we are useful.
We are practical, direct, and serious about the plan. When the route is tight, the load is awkward, or the first answer does not quite work, we figure out the move and help get the job done properly.
We do not work in perfect conditions. Our crews work around traffic, tenants, trades, tight access, rooftop constraints, limited staging, and equipment that still needs to land exactly where it belongs.
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We operate with zero compromise when it comes to safety—both for our crew and everyone on site. Every project is carefully planned and executed to meet strict safety protocols and regulatory standards.
We thrive on complex, high-stakes jobs that demand creative solutions. From rooftop lifts in tight downtown spaces to tricky rigging scenarios, we find a way to make it work.
Our team shows up prepared, on time, and ready to deliver. Clients trust us because we communicate clearly, coordinate every moving piece, and follow through without surprises.
A lot of our work happens where the building, the schedule, and the site conditions do not make things easy.
We support high-rise, commercial, and residential building projects where equipment needs to move through tight spaces, active work areas, occupied buildings, rooftop access points, mechanical rooms, and high-traffic locations.
The plan needs to work in the real world, not just on paper. That is where Thompson Miller brings value: practical thinking, the right crew, the right equipment, and the ability to adjust when the site throws something unexpected into the mix.
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Description
We coordinated cranes, rigging crews, and mechanical contractors to replace chillers on multiple high-rises before summer cooling season, avoiding downtime for building systems.
As summer approached, several high-rise buildings required urgent chiller replacements to ensure reliable cooling. The replacements needed to happen before seasonal demand spiked, and each site had unique access challenges and scheduling constraints.
Our team worked with mechanical contractors to plan and execute chiller removal and installation across multiple sites. We provided cranes and rigging crews, managed traffic and access logistics, and coordinated schedules so all projects could run in parallel without overlap or resource conflicts.
All chillers were replaced ahead of the seasonal deadline. The proactive coordination prevented system downtime during peak cooling demand and gave property teams confidence their systems would perform through the summer.
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We built a custom cart to lower a forklift into a basement mechanical space with narrow, low access, then rigged it safely into position without damage to the building or equipment.
A client needed to move a forklift into a basement-level mechanical area, but the only access point was both too narrow and too low for standard entry. The weight and size of the forklift, combined with the confined entry space, made it impossible to roll in conventionally.
Our crew designed and fabricated a custom transport cart that could support the forklift’s weight and dimensions while allowing it to be maneuvered through the restricted opening. We used a small crane to lower the forklift and cart assembly into the basement, then applied precision rigging techniques to guide it into its final location.
The forklift was delivered without any damage to the equipment, building structure, or finishes. The client was able to proceed with their mechanical work immediately, saving time and avoiding costly delays.
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We installed a derrick crane on a 22-story downtown building to dismantle a tower crane where street cranes could not reach. The derrick remained for eight months during a mechanical overhaul and the project finished without tenant disruption.
A tower crane on top of a 22-story building in Toronto’s financial district needed to be dismantled as part of a complete mechanical overhaul. The location had no street-level crane access due to surrounding buildings and traffic restrictions, making conventional removal methods impossible.
We brought in a derrick crane, lifted it to the roof in sections, and assembled it on-site to handle the dismantling process. The derrick remained on the roof for eight months while crews replaced chillers, generators, and other mechanical systems. Our team coordinated closely with contractors to ensure the crane stayed operational and safe throughout the project.
The dismantle was completed without incident, and all related work stayed on schedule. Tenants and building operations experienced no disruptions, and the GC had a reliable lifting solution in place for the entire mechanical overhaul.
Case Study:
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